Multispectral infrared observations carried out by the spacecrafts have shown
that spaceborne remote sensing of high-temperature volcanic features is feasible
and robust enough to turn into volcano monitoring. Especially meteorological
satellites have proven a powerful instrument to detect and monitor dynamic
phenomena, such as volcanic processes, allowing very high temporal resolution
despite of their low spatial resolution. An automated system that uses both
EOS-MODIS and MSG-SEVIRI thermal satellite data was developed at the
Istituto Nazionale di Geo sica e Vulcanologia of Catania for early hot spot
detection and for estimating the temporal evolution of the average e usion rate
during eruptive events. The advantage obtained by the use of both SEVIRI and
MODIS data in increasing temporal coverage improving satellite monitoring of
active volcanoes was also con rmed on Etna volcano during the early phase of
2008 eruption.